TAKE A TOUR OF MR. BAZAAR'S NEW BLOG DESIGN

Paint the internet bright Click to share

Thank you all for the kind comments, emails and tweets about the launch of the new Bright.Bazaar design; I am thrilled that you have so kindly welcomed the new look with open arms! Before I return to normal posting tomorrow I thought it might be useful to give a mini tour of the blog's main elements and functionalities. Shall we kick off? Great! So first I should explain my thinking behind the refreshed branding: my aim was to create a sophisticated look that still placed my love for colour at the heart of the design. When I first discussed my vision for the new look with my designer, Amanda, she took my list of proposed icons and created exactly what I had in mind; I think they perfectly illustrate the feel of the site and the assortment of content within it. I keep asking myself which little icon is my favourite, but it seems to change daily (OK, maybe hourly…!). Do you have a favourite? The bow tie? The dripping paint brush? The camera? I'd love to know! You can click the header or circle logo at anytime to go back to the homepage, and you can search the site via free words or the monthly achieves, as well as subscribe by email from the buttons at the top right-hand side of the blog.

Paint the internet bright Click to share

Another of my aims was to make Bright.Bazaar more interactive, after all, interacting with you guys is what makes blogging such an enjoyable, inspiring and enriching experience. With that in mind, the blog is now simpler and cleaner to navigate and I've tried to put you, my lovely readers and friends, in control. So, instead of lots of scrolling through page after page, you can quickly pick and choose the content you want to read thanks to a consistent navigation format across the site. The little icons have not only become the central element to the refreshed brand, but of the navigation, too. You will find icons inside squares in the Meet Mr. Bazaar, Categories and Work With Mr. Bazaar pages. Simply hover over an icon to see what it relates to, and should it interest you, click to read more or be taken to the posts/portfolio pieces in that category. I love how the relevant icon appears next to every post title!

Paint the internet bright Click to share

When you click an image or logo on the Work With Mr. Bazaar and Bazaar Press pages you will see a pop up appear that explains the piece in question with a link to more content. You can use the arrows to scroll through the other items in the category.

Paint the internet bright Click to share

I've saved one of my favourite elements to last: Paint The Internet Bright! When you hover over any image in a post you will see two tape strips appear at the top right-hand side of the image, which make it easy to share the content across your social networks. Clicking 'Pin It' will automatically bring a Pinterest Pin It box up just as though you've press the Pin It button; clicking the dripping paint brush icon lets you share via Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest from the pop up you can see if the gif above. I love this functionality because it really fits with the main reason why I started this blog: to bring more colour to the World! So, come on, let's grab our brushes and paint the Internet bright!